Our Team

Joe Schwartz

Joe is a Kootenay-raised ACMG Ski Guide and Hiking Guide who calls Cumberland home. He is the owner and Managing Director of Island Alpine Guides and Hike Vancouver Island. Over the last 15 years, he has worked for many heli, snowcat and ski touring lodges across BC and the Rockies. He loves that guiding gives him the opportunity to facilitate unique experiences for his guests, and gets excited about exploring new terrain.
In a previous life Joe was a professional mountain bike athlete, which led him to ride in many far flung locales for photo shoots and competitions such as Red Bull Rampage, which he participated in three times. Joe also has a business degree with a marketing communications focus, which he puts to work building the brand and managing the team alongside his guiding.
Joe brings a level of excellence to everything he does, is a true professional in the field, and is super fun to go skiing with!

Rachel Drury

Rachel was raised in Meadow Creek, BC, where her parents founded Selkirk Wilderness Skiing, the world's first cat-skiing operation, and ran it for nearly 40 years. Growing up inside a safety-critical, seasonal, weather-dependent family business gave her a firsthand understanding of what it takes to run this kind of operation day to day. As a young adult she completed her first-aid and CAA Level 1 certifications, and throughout her 20s she helped out across the business whenever she wasn't in university, taking on snow safety support, guest services, marketing, and whatever else needed doing.
Rachel now works full-time as a family physician in Comox, a role she continues today. She is co-owner of Island Alpine Guides and Hike Vancouver Island alongside Joe, and works mostly behind the scenes, stepping in on the operational side when needed.

Robert Coates

Rob brings more than 20 years of professional Mountain Operations and Mountain Rescue experience to the HVI team. He recently completed a 29-year career with the Canadian Armed Forces - both with the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. For 18 years of his military career, Rob was an RCAF Search and Rescue Technician (SAR Tech) and instructed at the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue (CFSSAR).

Along with his many years service as a SAR Tech, Rob has been employed as a Paramedic with BC Ambulance, worked as a ski patroller, has been an expedition leader for trips including the Arctic, Mount Logan, the Rockies, and in the BC Coastal Ranges. Rob is an ACMG certified Hiking Guide and Via Ferrata Guide, and Canadian Avalanche Association certified Avalanche Technician.

Rob is an instructor/examiner on our Emergency BC Rope Rescue Technician courses as well as teaching on the mountain rescue training programs we run for BC SAR teams and hiking and avalanche skills training programs. He really enjoys traveling in wild places around the planet, spending time in the mountains and being able to share these things. His extensive experience and calm, steady demeanor make him an ideal instructor and guide.

Jan Neuspiel

Jan has been guiding and teaching all over the world for more than 40 years. He spent almost half of that time in the Himalayan region, including six years living in Nepal and 11 years running a helicopter skiing operation in the India Himalaya. From a circumnavigation of Denali and a ski traverse of the Wrangell-St. Elias, to an ascent of Mount Asgard in the Canadian arctic and a solo summit on Pumori (7161m) in the Nepal Himalaya, his personal adventures have taken him far and wide. Back at home on Vancouver Island he's guided most of the major island peaks, authored a number of first ascents and taught countless islanders rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing and avalanche skills. Jan co-founded and ran the Vancouver Island Avalanche Centre, which provided avalanche forecasts for Vancouver Island from 2007 to 2021. He started Island Alpine Guides in 2006 and nurtured it into the island's premier mountain school and guide service, and remains a key member of the IAG team today. He is also a Guide and Mountain Safety Manager for Bella Coola Helisports, which runs heliskiing operations in the BC Coast Range, and a Peer Responder with the Mountain Professionals Critical Incident Stress Management Team. Jan has been recognized with a Distinguished Service Award by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and an Aspiring Individual Award by HeliCat Canada.

Graeme White

Graeme’s love of wild spaces began at an early age camping with his family and exploring Western Canada and the Yukon. His own explorations continued across Western North America, South America, the UK and Africa. For sixteen years, Graeme worked with Outward Bound Canada, starting as an instructor and later as manager of their Western Canada operations. He also works with a Victoria area private school Outdoor Ed program, and fills the time between teaching and guiding with work as a carpenter. Graeme is often noted for his calming and level-headed presence in the mountains. He enjoys coaching individuals towards self-reliance, and always does his best to ensure everyone has a great day out. Graeme is a year-round fixture on the IAG team, and is well-versed on rock, snow, and ice.

Stephan Peters

Coming from a Family of Mountain Guides in the Alps, Stephan was naturally pulled to the mountains starting to ski and climb at the age two. He spent 14 years in Squamish where he worked full time as a paramedic and feels lucky to have been part of the Whistler Pro Ski Patrol team and Squamish Search and Rescue. These roles have allowed him to perfect his skills in rope rescue and avalanche rescue and as an avalanche technician. He also has extensive experience in helicopter long line rescue and was Squamish SAR's longline rescue trainer/coordinator. Stephan is certified as a paramedic, a Level 2 forecaster with the Canadian Avalanche Association and is an AMGA apprentice alpine guide. He's now working as a paramedic in the Comox Valley and has been exploring the crags and mountains in his new home on the island. We're delighted to have Stephan on our team!

Casey Watamaniuk

Born and raised in the Comox Valley, Casey learned to ski on the slopes of Mount Washington. While away at university, time with good friends exploring the Whistler backcountry sparked her interest in ski touring. Casey’s love of the mountains has taken her on ski-touring adventures across BC, the western United States, and Norway, including a season spent at a cat skiing operation. She is a newly certified Basic Avalanche Instructor and enjoys facilitating students reverence, respect, and stoke for the backcountry. When she’s not assessing (rock and soil) slope stability and geohazards as a geological engineer, or ski patrolling at Mount Cain, you can find Casey teaching Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Level 1 courses with Island Alpine Guides.

Dane Schellenberg

Dane arrived in the Comox Valley in 2023 - having climbed all over the world while calling the Eastern Himalayas in China his home base. He has established multi-pitch traditional routes as well as hundreds of first ascents of boulder problems and sport climbs across Asia, Oceania, and North America. He recently established the ground-up first ascent of one of the longest rock climbing routes in China with The Allegory of the Caves (Grade IV, 5.11c, 17 pitches) in the Hengduan mountain range. Dane has written two climbing guidebooks in China and contributed to numerous other books. His love affair with climbing began in his early teenage years in the Canadian Rockies and led to him spending several seasons climbing and guiding on BC's west coast. Dane is certified by the ACMG as a Rock Guide and has been guiding and teaching guests how to climb, both in English and Mandarin, for over 15 years. When you embark on a climbing adventure with Dane, you can expect more than just a guide. You will gain a mentor, a friend, and a source of inspiration. His love for the sport and his genuine enthusiasm are contagious and we're excited to have Dane on the IAG team and in our community.

Justin Pauwels

Justin has been skiing for the last 20 years, growing up outside of Vancouver on the local mountains. He was introduced to ski touring after graduating high school, when the reality of affording yearly season's passes forced him to get creative, and he took his first AST 1 course on Mt. Seymour. He's been hooked ever since, travelling extensively throughout BC, Alberta, and Chilean Patagonia on ski-related adventures.

Work in the ski industry has long been Justin's dream job, and he's spent the last several years chasing certifications and gaining experience to make that happen. He's also worked for BC Emergency Health Services in several roles across the province over the last ten years, and currently serves as a Victoria-based frontline supervisor. He's a member of both the CSGA and the CAA.

Vancouver Island-based for the last several years, Justin is excited to spend his time teaching and exploring, and seeing all the island has to offer. Justin teaches AST 1 courses for IAG.

Paul Laperriere

Paul loves a good adventure and has travelled extensively in Canada and overseas enjoying various outdoor pursuits. He teaches AST 1 courses for IAG.
Paul grew up on skis and is equally happy deep in the backcountry , on the cross country trails or at the hill. He began his avalanche educator work in 2000 and has taught with various high school programs, international students as well as the Canadian and British military.
A long time Island resident, Paul and his family live on a hobby farm just north of Courtenay and in the summers he can be found guiding river trips in the Arctic.

Matt Arnold

With over a decade of professional guiding experience, Matt has built his career around exploring wild places and sharing his passion for the outdoors. His experience includes snowmobile guiding, ski patrol, avalanche technician work, avalanche skills training, cave exploration, and technical canyon guiding.

Having worked extensively with recreational riders and guided groups, Matt brings practical mountain experience and an approachable teaching style to avalanche education. He enjoys helping people develop their terrain awareness, decision-making skills, and confidence in the backcountry.

For Matt, the best part of guiding and teaching is sharing knowledge, exploring new terrain, and helping others safely experience the incredible places he loves to explore.

Holly Walker

Holly was born in Vancouver to a family of hikers and skiers. She was swept away from the West Coast at age 10 to live a vagabond lifestyle around the world. Now settled in Squamish, she's an ACMG Ski & Hiking Guide who shares a new appreciation for the mountains of British Columbia. She's a retired Park Ranger with years of experience remote backpacking in her backyard and other places, such as the West Coast Trail, Yoho National Park, Kluane National Park, Tombstone Territorial Park, and on expeditions in obscure places such as the Pamirs of Tajikistan. She's passionate about meeting new people and assisting them in discovering the great outdoors.

Andrew Mackenzie

Andrew Mackenzie found a passion for the outdoors and mountaineering as a child with Scouts Canada. At 17 he joined the Canadian Armed Forces spending 8 years in the Army deploying on two tours overseas. In 2002 he was selected by the Royal Canadian Air Force to become a Search and Rescue Technician. In 2003 Andrew completed his SARTech course and JIBC PCP2 Paramedic program. For 16 years Andrew was an operational SARTech and finished the last 3 years of his career as an instructor at the national school (CFSSAR) in Comox BC. During his time off Andrew completed the ACMG Indoor Rock Climbing instructor, TRCI and Via Ferrara guide courses. He has been employed as a guide with local High School outdoor programs and with Outward Bound Canada. Andrew is an Instructor/Examiner on our Emergency Management British Columbia (EMCR) Rope Rescue Technicians courses. Andrew loves to travel, explore and climb with his supportive wife and 6 children.

Bill Phipps

Bill is a passionate skier and climber. Like all of our instructors, a love of the mountains has guided his life path from an early age, and he is keen to share that passion with others. This desire ultimately led him to pursue a teaching degree, and he has been a long-time instructor for the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training (COLT) program at Strathcona Park Lodge and is the manager of On the Rocks Climbing Gym in Campbell River. Decades of teaching and working professionally in the outdoor field have left him with a well developed set of skills. In past winters Bill's been a professional avalanche forecaster for Mount Washington, and the Vancouver Island Avalanche Centre. Bill is also a member of the Canadian Ski Guides Association and spends part of his winters guiding at Cat and Heli Skiing operations. When he's not busy guiding, forecasting, and raising a kid, Bill is also an exceptional AST1 and AST2 instructor on the IAG team.

Nigel Donley

Nigel is a rescue and medical professional based in the Comox Valley with over 15 years of experience in emergency response, wilderness medicine, and technical rescue. After beginning his career as an Army medic, he transitioned into Search and Rescue and he currently instructs at the Canadian Forces School of Search and Rescue (CFSSAR).

Nigel has a particular interest in rope rescue, wilderness medicine and survival training. He enjoys running practical, hands-on training that gives professionals and enthusiasts the skills and confidence to make good decisions in challenging environments.

When he's not teaching, Nigel can usually be found venturing in the mountains and coastlines of British Columbia. He is an avid skier, runner, and wind sports enthusiast who enjoys spending time with his partner Danielle and making the most of life on Vancouver Island.

Tom Bailey

Tom grew up on the south coast of England, far from any alpine environment or seasonal snowfalls.
After completing ACMG TRCI course in 2022, he moved to Cumberland, BC, where he now calls home. He started working with Island Alpine Guides that summer and has been coaching and teaching in the Comox Valley ever since. Working for IAG, scrubbing and bolting routes and running the local climbing gym at the Cumberland Recreation Centre has kept him active in the local scene and Tom can often be found climbing locally.
Exploring Strathcona Park ignited a passion for the alpine that has spread across the seasons.
When not in a harness on on his split board he’s working for BCEHS as a medic on ambulances & working for ski patrol at Mt. Cain.

Tyler Wonnacott

Tyler brings a genuine love of the mountains to his role as an Avalanche Skills Training (AST) instructor. As an avalanche forecaster and route leader at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, and a field technician with Avalanche Canada, he spends much of his winter assessing snowpack, observing avalanche activity, managing hazards, and making decisions in mountain terrain. With over 20 years of experience as a paramedic, Tyler also brings a a strong background in risk management and emergency response. An avid skier and outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys sharing his knowledge, learning from others, and helping people feel more comfortable in the mountains. His teaching style is relaxed, practical, and engaging, with a focus on building confidence, and inspiring students to explore the backcountry safely.

Niko Weis

Since 1985 Niko has provided avalanche education in the US, Canada and internationally. He is a Professional Member of the Canadian Avalanche Association. Over the years Niko has stood out as an innovator in avalanche education in North America. Niko Specializes in Avalanche Search and Rescue courses for members and leaders of the BC Provincial Emergency Program and snowmobile specific courses. He’s also worked with IAG in developing curriculum and delivering avalanche training for Canadian Airforce search and rescue technicians.

Mark Whitney

Mark was born in Edmonton but raised in the Cowichan Valley, where he still lives today. He came to climbing later in life, first picking it up to coach and raise a rock-climbing son, and has been an ACMG Climbing Gym Instructor Level 2 and Top-Rope Climbing Instructor for 15 years since.

By day, Mark is a secondary school biology teacher, and his passion for teaching carries over onto the rock as a climbing instructor and competitive climbing coach for Sport Climbing BC and Climbing Escalade Canada. He loves climbing in the Island Alps as well as on trips around the world, and takes just as much joy in sharing that love with new climbers of all ages.

David Kallai

David is a Cumberland-based Avalanche Professional and Professional Geoscientist with over 15 years of experience working with snow and avalanches. His career has taken him throughout British Columbia, where he has worked in avalanche forecasting and risk management for the mining, railway, energy, and forestry sectors.

Alongside his professional work, David has spent many years teaching Avalanche Skills Training (AST) Level 1 and 2 courses with Island Alpine Guides, as well as professional avalanche courses for the Canadian Avalanche Association. He enjoys sharing his knowledge of snow and terrain, helping others develop the skills and confidence to explore the backcountry. An avid ski tourer, David has explored mountain ranges throughout Canada, the United States, New Zealand, France, and Italy. Whether close to home or somewhere new, he's always keen to explore terrain and enjoy a good day in the mountains.

Christine Feleki

Christine was first introduced to the idea of guiding through her high school outdoor education program in Canmore, Alberta. She always knew she wasn’t cut out for an “inside job,” but it wasn’t until 2010, after a detour in photojournalism, that she committed to the path of becoming an ACMG-certified guide -- a path that has been full of almost daily highlights. She was the first female to pass an ACMG Ski Guide exam on a splitboard. She is also an ACMG-certified Hiking Guide, a CSIA Level 1 Ski Instructor and a member of the Canadian Avalanche Association. While Christine is adamant that she is incapable of sitting still, her clients often note her calm approach to teaching. She strives to create a low pressure environment for learning and exploring, while still supporting clients in their goals. After 16 years in the Sea to Sky region, Christine now calls Ucluelet home.